Growth hormones which are used in practice to increase milk production of dairy cows are known to have various physiological actions, including the promotion of cell growth, the promotion of protein production, the promotion of lipolysis and the stimulation of milk secretion in mammals. Human growth hormones were developed as products for promoting the growth of children, and animal growth hormones were developed as agents for increasing milk production of dairy cows, increasing the efficiency of pig feed and promoting the growth of cultured fishes.
As the utility of growth hormones exhibiting various physiological functions as described above draws attention, studies on substances or compositions for promoting the secretion of the growth hormones are being actively conducted. In addition, there is a need to study herbal compositions capable of increasing milk production by using herbal components to stimulate growth hormone secretion in dairy cows rather than agents for stimulating the secretion of growth hormone, comprising artificial chemical substances.
Artemisia capillaries Thunberg has been used as Chinese medicinal herb and is also called “Wormwood herb”. Artemisia has various Korean names such as Kaae, Kucho, Kiae, Nangmihoja, Bingtae, Akeupae, Yayeundoo, Ae, Aebong, Aeho, Chumae, Chobong, Hyangae and Hwangcho.
The whole part of Artemisia contains components such as essential oil, tannin, resin, bitter substances, artemisinin, ascorbic acid and carotene, and the leaf thereof contains essential oil, cineole, thujone, borneol, paraffin, adenine, choline, vitamins A, B, and D, etc. The root of Artemisia contains polysaccharide artemos, essential oil, dehydromatricaric acid, sterol, tetradecatrien, inulin, mucus, etc.
Artemisia has a bitter and acrid taste, and also has warm nature and thus has the ability to disperse cold, stabilize the womb, regulate Qi and blood, expel dampness, warm the uterus, promote bile secretion, invigorate blood, stop bleeding, relieve pain, eliminate blood stasis, regulate menstruation, and restore yang. Thus, artemisia is used to alleviate and treat abdominal cold-pain, abdominal cramps caused by diarrhea, chronic diarrhea and dysentery, spitting blood, nasal bleeding, vaginal bleeding, menstrual irregularity, abnormal uterine bleeding, vaginal discharge, fetal irritability, and tumor.
Accordingly, the present inventors have found that, when Artemisia capillaris powder, Artemisia capillaris extract or fermented Artemisia capillaris is fed to dairy cows, milk production of the cows can be increased, and the number of somatic cells in raw milk being produced can be decreased which will enable the cows to produce good-quality milk, thereby completing the present invention.